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Vampire Weekend (album)

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Vampire Weekend
Studio album by
Vampire Weekend
ReleasedJanuary 29, 2008
Recorded2007
Studio
  • Lerner E573
  • Tomson family barn
  • 17 Moultrie
  • 14-16 Bedford Street
  • Meserole and Diamond
  • Meserole and Dobbin
  • Hicks and Joralemon
  • Baio's mom's house
  • Treefort (DUMBO)
Genre
Length34:13
LabelXL
ProducerRostam Batmanglij
Vampire Weekend chronology
Vampire Weekend
(2008) 		Contra
(2010)
Singles from Vampire Weekend
  1. "Mansard Roof"
    Released: October 23, 2007
  2. "A-Punk"
    Released: February 28, 2008
  3. "Oxford Comma"
    Released: May 26, 2008
  4. "Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa"
    Released: August 18, 2008
  5. "The Kids Don't Stand a Chance"
    Released: November 18, 2008

Vampire Weekend is the debut studio album by American rock band Vampire Weekend, released on January 29, 2008 by XL Recordings. The album was produced by band member Rostam Batmanglij, with mixing assistance from Jeff Curtin and Shane Stoneback. Released after a year of building internet buzz, the album showcased the band's unique hybrid of indie pop, chamber music, and Afropop influences.[2]

In the United States, the album debuted at number 17 on the Billboard 200.[4] In the album's 11th week in the UK chart, it peaked at number 15.[5] The album also reached number 37 in Australia.[6] It was accompanied by the singles "Mansard Roof", "A-Punk", "Oxford Comma", "Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa", and "The Kids Don't Stand a Chance".

The album was ranked as the 5th-best album of 2008 by Time,[7] the 56th-best album of the decade by Rolling Stone[8] and 51st on Pitchfork's list of the Top 200 Albums of the 2000s.[9] In 2012, Rolling Stone ranked the album number 430 on its list of "The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time".[10]

Recording history

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The album was recorded in a variety of environments including a basement where there was "a good set up for recording drums", a barn, the apartments of two band members, and Tree Fort studio in Brooklyn. The locations bore an effect on the sound that was produced, demonstrated by a session recorded early in 2007 at a barn, which resulted in "really echoey drums".[11] The album draws influence from African pop styles such as soukous and Congolese rumba while incorporating string textures and harpsichords.[12] The group jokingly described this hybrid of indie, afropop, and chamber pop as "Upper West Side Soweto."[2]

In October 2007, the lead singer Ezra Koenig, said that the band had "some of the tracks [...] for a long time", so they were aware of how the album would sound but that it was "just a matter of tightening it up and remixing it a little". Koenig also said that the band was "really excited" and "psyched" about two songs in particular, which were recorded around September 2007, called "I Stand Corrected" and "M79".[11]

The album's cover depicts the chandelier in St. Anthony Hall, a Columbia University semi-secret society.[13] The photo is a Polaroid picture from one of the band's early shows at Columbia.

Release

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The album sold over 27,000 copies in the first week of its release, debuting at number 17 on the Billboard 200 and as of 20 January 2010, has sold nearly half a million copies.[14]

The album was ranked as the 5th-best album of 2008 by Time,[15] the 56th-best album of the decade by Rolling Stone[8] and 51st on Pitchfork's list of the Top 200 Albums of the 2000s.[9] In 2012, Rolling Stone ranked the album number 430 on its list of "The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time".[10] The album was also ranked 24 on Rolling Stone's list of 100 greatest debut albums of all time, citing them for having inspired a wave of indie bands with world music influences, despite largely criticizing the album on its release.[16] Paul Simon has spoken out in favor of the album, responding to the derision of some for perceived similarities to Simon's 1986 album Graceland and confirming that he does not consider the album to contain any stolen work.[17][18]

Critical reception

[edit]
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic82/100[19]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[2]
The A.V. ClubB−[20]
Blender[3]
The Guardian[21]
MSN Music (Consumer Guide)A−[22]
NME8/10[23]
Pitchfork8.8/10[1]
Q[24]
Rolling Stone[25]
Spin[26]

According to the review aggregator Metacritic, Vampire Weekend received "universal acclaim" based on a weighted average score of 82 out of 100 from 38 critic scores.[19]

Reviewing the album for AllMusic, Heather Phares wrote, "Everything is concise, concentrated, distilled, vivid; Vampire Weekend's world is extremely specific and meticulously crafted, and Vampire Weekend often feels like a concept album about preppy guys who grew up with classical music and recently got really into world music. Amazingly, instead of being alienating, the band's quirks are utterly winning."[2] At The A.V. Club, Gordon Scott claimed that, "The young band's saving grace is compactness, which not only saves thousands of dollars in kora-player and backup-singer bills, but also keeps things alert and accessible."[20] Talking about the band's array of musical styles in the review for Blender, Ben Sisario felt that, "Vampire Weekend’s version of globalization is too tightly and smartly woven to be mere dilettantism, and at times Koenig is emphatic, even desperate, about escaping white-bred familiarity"[3]

In a review for The Guardian, Alexis Petridis claimed that, "Behind the penny loafers and songs about commas, there's a bold band that can balance dexterous originality with an innate pop sensibility."[21] Writing for NME, Sam Richards commented that, "A mischievous pop sensibility ensures all these little experiments come off as refreshing quirks rather than heinous transgressions."[23] At Pitchfork, Nitsuh Abebe stated, "Bring any baggage you want to this record, and it still returns nothing but warm, airy, low-gimmick pop, peppy, clever, and yes, unpretentious--four guys who listened to some Afro-pop records, picked up a few nice ideas, and then set about making one of the most refreshing and replayable indie records in recent years."[1]

Track listing

[edit]

All lyrics are written by Ezra Koenig except where noted; all music is composed by Vampire Weekend except where noted

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Mansard Roof" 2:07
2."Oxford Comma" 3:15
3."A-Punk" 2:17
4."Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa" 3:34
5."M79"additional lyrics by Rostam Batmanglij4:15
6."Campus"music and lyrics by Batmanglij; additional lyrics by Koenig2:56
7."Bryn" 2:13
8."One (Blake's Got a New Face)"contains elements of "Obeah Wedding" by Slinger Francisco3:13
9."I Stand Corrected" 2:39
10."Walcott" 3:41
11."The Kids Don't Stand a Chance" 4:03
Total length:34:13
Japanese edition bonus tracks
No.TitleLength
12."Ladies of Cambridge [a.k.a. Boston]"2:40
13."Arrows"3:04
Total length:39:57

Personnel

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[edit]

The song "Campus" was used in Gossip Girl and I Love You, Man. "Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa" was used in Viper Club and a trailer for The Big Sick. "Mansard Roof" was used in Grey's Anatomy and Someone Great. "Oxford Comma" was used in The Chair, Roswell, New Mexico, New Girl, Suits, How I Met Your Mother and I Love You, Man. The song "A-Punk" was used in the 2008 film Step Brothers and Scott Pilgrim Takes Off. The song "M79" was used as the theme song for the TV series The Chair.

Charts

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Certifications

[edit]
Certifications for Vampire Weekend
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[45] Gold 35,000^
Canada (Music Canada)[46] Gold 50,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[48] Platinum 394,220[47]
United States (RIAA)[49] Platinum 1,000,000‡

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

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  1. ^ a b c Abebe, Nitsuh (January 28, 2012). "Vampire Weekend: Vampire Weekend". Pitchfork. Retrieved June 5, 2012.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Phares, Heather. "Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend". AllMusic. Retrieved March 27, 2018.
  3. ^ a b c Sisario, Ben. "Vampire Weekend: Vampire Weekend". Blender. Archived from the original on February 9, 2008. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
  4. ^ "Vampire Weekend Lands First No. 1 Album". Billboard. 20 January 2010.
  5. ^ "BBC Radio 1 Chart Show: The UK Top 40 Albums". BBC. Retrieved 2008-02-12.
  6. ^ "Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend - Music Charts". acharts.us. Retrieved 19 December 2011.
  7. ^ Tyrangiel, Josh (2008-11-03). "The Top 10 Everything of 2008 - Top 10 Albums". Time. Archived from the original on December 11, 2008. Retrieved 2010-03-14.
  8. ^ a b "100 Best Albums of the Decade". Rolling Stone. 2009-12-09. Archived from the original on July 22, 2011. Retrieved 2012-06-14.
  9. ^ a b "Pitchfork Staff Lists: The Top 200 Albums of the 2000s: 100-51". Pitchfork. 2009-09-30.
  10. ^ a b Wenner, Jann S., ed. (2012). Rolling Stone - Special Collectors Issue - The 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time. USA: Wenner Media Specials. ISBN 978-7098934196
  11. ^ a b "Vampire Weekend reveal debut album details". NME. 2008-02-06. Retrieved 2008-06-02.
  12. ^ Sylla, Fanta (February 2018). "On Hearing My Father's Legacy in Vampire Weekend". Pitchfork. Retrieved 14 June 2022.
  13. ^ Harris, Sophie (2018-01-29). "Vampire Weekend's Debut Album: 10 Things You Didn't Know". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2018-08-02.
  14. ^ Norris, John (2008-02-06). "Vampire Weekend Take Their Preppy, Indie Afropop To The Billboard Top 20". MTV. Archived from the original on February 14, 2008. Retrieved 2008-02-12.
  15. ^ Tyrangiel, Josh (2008-11-03). "The Top 10 Everything of 2008 - Top 10 Albums". Time. Archived from the original on December 11, 2008. Retrieved 2010-03-14.
  16. ^ "Rollingstone". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 2018-07-01. Retrieved 2017-09-17.
  17. ^ "Paul Simon Defends Vampire Weekend". 17 March 2011.
  18. ^ "Paul Simon on Kevin Youkilis, Jay-Z, Vampire Weekend—Oh, and His New Album!". Vanity Fair. 16 March 2011.
  19. ^ a b "Reviews for Vampire Weekend by Vampire Weekend". Metacritic. Retrieved June 5, 2012.
  20. ^ a b Gordon, Scott (January 28, 2008). "Vampire Weekend: Vampire Weekend". The A.V. Club. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
  21. ^ a b Petridis, Alexis (January 24, 2008). "Vampire Weekend, Vampire Weekend". The Guardian. London. Retrieved June 5, 2012.
  22. ^ Christgau, Robert (March 2008). "Consumer Guide". MSN Music. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
  23. ^ a b Richards, Sam (February 1, 2008). "Vampire Weekend: Vampire Weekend". NME. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved June 5, 2012.
  24. ^ "Vampire Weekend: Vampire Weekend". Q (260): 109. March 2008.
  25. ^ Hoard, Christian (February 7, 2008). "Vampire Weekend : Vampire Weekend". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on September 2, 2009. Retrieved June 5, 2012.
  26. ^ Hermes, Will (February 2008). "International Bright Young Things". Spin. 24 (2): 91. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
  27. ^ "Australiancharts.com – Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend". Hung Medien. Retrieved April 16, 2014.
  28. ^ "ARIA Report" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2008-08-19. Retrieved April 16, 2014.
  29. ^ a b "Ultratop.be – Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved April 16, 2014.
  30. ^ "Ultratop.be – Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved April 16, 2014.
  31. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved April 16, 2014.
  32. ^ "Alternative Top 30" (in Dutch). dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved April 17, 2014.
  33. ^ "Lescharts.com – Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend". Hung Medien. Retrieved April 16, 2014.
  34. ^ "Officialcharts.de – Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved April 16, 2014.
  35. ^ "吸血鬼大集合" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved April 16, 2014.
  36. ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend". Hung Medien. Retrieved April 16, 2014.
  37. ^ "Vampire Weekend | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved April 16, 2014.
  38. ^ "Vampire Weekend Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved April 16, 2014.
  39. ^ "Vampire Weekend Chart History (Independent Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved April 16, 2014.
  40. ^ "Vampire Weekend Chart History (Top Alternative Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved April 16, 2014.
  41. ^ "Vampire Weekend Chart History (Top Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved April 16, 2014.
  42. ^ "End of Year Charts: 2008" (PDF). UKChartsPlus. Retrieved April 16, 2014.
  43. ^ "Billboard 200 Albums: 2008 Year-End Charts". Billboard. Retrieved April 16, 2014.
  44. ^ "Independent Albums: 2008 Year-End Charts". Billboard. Retrieved April 16, 2014.
  45. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2009 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association.
  46. ^ "Canadian album certifications – Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend". Music Canada.
  47. ^ Paine, Andre (1 August 2018). "Vampire Weekend's Sony move confirmed". Music Week. Retrieved 1 August 2018.
  48. ^ "British album certifications – Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend". British Phonographic Industry.
  49. ^ "American album certifications – Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend". Recording Industry Association of America.
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